LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Tajianna Roberts scored 15 points, and Imari Berry added 14 for No. 7 Louisville in a 119-47 win over Bellarmine on Monday in the season opener.
It was the most points that Louisville had scored in school history. Former North Carolina State guard Zam Jones set a career high with six steals, tied a career high with nine assists and added 11 points in the win.
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Coach Jeff Walz shuffled 11 players on and off the court as Louisville raced out to a 23-0 lead over the crosstown Knights less than midway through the first quarter.
The lead was 44-9 after a quarter, setting a record for the most points scored in a quarter. That broke the mark of 40 that the Cardinals scored against DePaul in the third quarter of a 116-75 victory in 2020. That was the team’s previous record for points in a game.
On Monday, they led 72-21 at halftime, breaking the record for most points in a half, which was 63 in a 111-33 rout of Bellarmine on Nov. 16, 2023.
Berry and Roberts, both of whom earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference preseason honors last month, led seven Cardinals in double figures.
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Amiya Joyner, a fifth-year transfer from LSU, scored 14 on 5-for-5 shooting in her Louisville debut, and Carys Baker, a second-team All-ACC selection last season for Virginia Tech, scored 13. Freshman Ariyana Cradle and sophomore Grace Mbugua each added 10.
Coached by former Louisville star Monique Reed, the Knights shot just 30.2% (16-for-53) and committed 13 of their 35 turnovers in the first quarter.
Hana Abdel Aal and Leigha Acoff scored nine apiece in the loss.
Bellarmine hosts Simmons, a Louisville-based NCCAA team, on Thursday.
Louisville hosts Stetson on Wednesday.
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